Child Development Newsletter
MAY
2017
ChildSavers is a Richmond, Virginia nonprofit dedicated to
ensuring all children are safe, happy, healthy, and ready to learn.
We provide coaching, training, and professional development to early
child care providers and preschool teachers. Our programs aim to help you
improve your business and to meet your potential as a quality early child care
and educator. This newsletter is just one way we provide you with the
resources you need to be your best!
childsavers.org | (804) 644.9590 | @ChildSaversRVA
Table of Contents
Training & Professional
Development
VCPD Creating Connections to
Shining Stars Conference
The Creating Connections to Shining Stars Conference (CCSS) is Virginia’s premiere, collaborative, early
childhood, birth through five conference. Through the leadership of the Virginia Cross-Sector
Professional Development (VCPD) team, conference committee members representing state agencies
and early childhood organizations have partnered to offer a rich opportunity to explore evidence-based
practices in inclusive settings for young children, both with and without disabilities.
The 2017 CCSS Conference is planned for July 19-21, 2017 at Hotel Roanoke, and features an array of
sessions including topics related to infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and general early childhood
practices. Through preconference seminars, the keynote presentation, concurrent workshops, and
exhibitors, there will be something fun and engaging for everyone.
For additional details or to register, please click here.
Trainer Tip of the Day: From Bob Pike Group
Openers and Energizers are great for getting participants ready to brainstorm a new idea or project,
breaking up the day, and stimulating memories. These types of activities are especially useful after
lunch or a break, after long periods of sitting, when energy is at a minimum and participants seem
unengaged, or even when the room temperature is low.
Learn more click here.
When planning your next training, check out the [VCPD Central Lending Library] for access to a
variety of books and resources to help plan your next opener or energizer.
What is happening with Central Region Governance?
What is happening with Central Region Governance?
Want to learn more? For more information on Central Virginia Early Childhood Professional
Development resources and trainings, click here [http://www.vcpd.net/central/]
Food &
Nutrition
Program
Celebrate
May Day
May Day is a festival that celebrates the arrival of
spring, and is celebrated on May 1st. May Day is
celebrated around the world. In many countries it
is a major holiday. The day is celebrated with
dance and music. Children dance around the
Maypole holding onto colorful ribbons. Many
people use flowers and leaves to make hoops and
hair garlands.
Reminders
Make sure information is updated in
Minute Menu. Sweeps will begin May 1st,
2017. When errors are found on your
claim report it immediately. You have a
two week time frame for adjustments to
be made.
All claims are due by the 5th of each
month. Any claim received after the 5th of
the month will be processed later in the
month.
Warning letters will be sent to those that have similar mistakes every month. If the mistakes continue,
your program may run the risk of being put on a Serious Deficient Action Plan. Please review menus
before submitting your claim.
Food &
Nutrition
Program
Recipe of the Month
Carrot Pinwheels
Have the children make this delicious recipe before
they go out to play their May Day games for a healthy
snack.
Prep time 15 min.
Servings 4 servings
total time 45 min.
Items needed:
2 flour tortillas (8 inch)
3 Tbsp. Philadelphia Chive & Onion Cheese spread
2 carrots, finely shredded (about 1cup)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Make It:
Spread tortillas with cream cheese spread. Top with vegetables.
Roll up tortillas tightly, wrap individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 min.
Unwrap roll-ups; cut each into 6 pieces just before serving.
Spanish Fun
Carrots: Zanahorias
"Za-no-rias"
Green Onions: Cebolla Verde
"Se-bolla Ver-day"
Bye-Bye April Showers. . . Hello, May Flowers!
Research indicates that providing young children with theme-related, play-based learning
opportunities that closely relate to current life experiences create an optimal environment for positive
intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development. At this time of year, efflorescence is all
around, making the month of May a perfect time to introduce flowers and/or gardening themes as a
fun and meaningful foundation for “growing” curious, young minds! There are numerous ways to
embed learning into this theme. Use these simple strategies to “dig-up” some high-quality learning
outcomes…
Children can use artificial flowers in various colors and types to create patterns, sort, compare,
count, and more as they explore early math concepts.
Wrap the stem of an artificial flower around a pencil and secure with green tape to create a writing
tool that children will enjoy using that looks like a flower!
With a little glue, and your choice of other materials, flower petals or magazine cut-outs of flowers
can be used to create collages for an open-ended art activity. Encourage children to make collages
to give to a peer as a gesture of kindness or friendship.
Songs and fingerplays about flowers can be found here:
[http://www.preschooleducation.com/sflower.shtml.] Add movements to songs to enhance
physical development. For example, the parts of a flower (roots, stem, leaves and flower) can be
learned and sung to the tune of “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” while children move as follows:
Roots – touch the ground/floor; Stem- stand up straight with hands on side; Leaves – spread legs
apart and arms out wide to the side, and Flowers – curve arms and hands to form a circle above
head. Encourage children to see how fast they can sing the song and do the movements too – lots of
fun and laughs will follow!
A variety of affordable, fast-growing seeds can be purchased from many local retailers for children
to have science experiments as they take care of their very own plant. To extend learning, place a
fast growing seed (such as a bean seed) on a cotton ball that has been dipped in water inside a
sandwich bag. Tape the bag to a sunny spot in a window and watch as the roots grow!
A variety of developmentally appropriate books about flowers or gardening can be read with
children. Titles such as: Flower Garden, By: Eve Bunting, Jack’s Garden, By: Henry Cole and
Counting Wildflowers, By: Bruce McMillian are great books to get you started. Be sure to offer brief
explanations for new vocabulary words and ask many open-ended questions.
Using small, flowers and trailers the block area can be transformed into a mini-garden. Children
can also experience diverse garden experiences by using blocks to create raised gardens and/or
small containers to create container gardens.
The sensory bin can become a garden exploration station by adding child-sized garden tools,
gloves, flower pots, artificial flowers, watering can and a few plastic garden critters! Children will
enjoy digging trenches to plant their beautiful flowers. This is also a great time to engage in
conversations on how to care for flowers and what they need to grow!
Add the same items named above, along with plastic vases and gift tissue and ribbon (for wrapping
flowers for customers) to the dramatic play area to create a fancy flower shop!
Let your imagination “fully bloom” this May as you explore a flower or garden theme.
Training & Professional
Development
FREE First Aid and CPR Training
Do you work with children birth - 36 months? If so, we are currently sponsoring free First-Aid and CPR
training brought to you by ChildCare Aware and the Virginia Department of Social Services.
For more information about registering, please contact Janet Burke at [email protected] or at 804591-3917.
June 2017
May 2017
5 - Richmond
6 - Northern Neck
9 - Richmond
11 - Richmond
13 - Richmond
15 - Richmond
17 - Richmond
19 - Richmond
25 - Richmond
Free Infant-Pediatric
First Aid
& CPR Training
2 - Richmond
6 - Richmond
8 - Richmond
10 - Northern Neck
12 - Richmond
16 - Richmond
20 - Richmond
24 - Richmond
30 - Richmond
Virginia Shared Services Network
The Virginia Shared Services Network is an easy-to-use website offering many tools and services to
help child care centers, family child care homes, and after school programs manage their programs
more cost-effectively and efficiently. The website features exclusive discounts on items from office
supplies to toys, to food, and beverage products. The site also contains resources related to program
administration, human resources, marketing, a library of early childhood reference materials,
licensing regulations and classroom resources.
We call it “child care in a box” because it contains so many resources you can download and
customize for your program needs. For example, the site includes sample policies, procedures,
handbooks (for parents and employees), forms, job descriptions, and much more!
For more information or to request a login and password, click here.
200 N. 22nd Street
Richmond, VA 23223
804.644.9590
childsavers.org